Devlin's Grace

by Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy

  Somewhere in the center of her chest a little warm spot grew into a burst of happiness. A warm steak burger would be better than the ramen noodles she’d planned to cook when she got home. His consideration meant something to her, more than she wanted to admit. “I’m starving. Thanks, Dev.”

  “Sure,” he said as he stowed both helmets, hers in the compartment, his secured to the bike. “When’d you eat last? Lunch?”

  Honesty prompted her to shake her head. “No, breakfast. I hardly ever eat when I’m on campus. And, I just had a couple of peanut butter crackers on my supper break.”

  “You’re lucky I came along then,” he said. “I’m surprised you didn’t faint along the way.”

  Before she could protest, he offered her his hand and she took it. He folded his fingers over hers, warm and snug. They walked into the restaurant holding hands as if they’d done it many times and sat at a table near the back. When the server arrived with a pair of menus, Devlin waved them away. “Two double steak burgers with cheese and fries, two Cokes.”

  Gracie laughed and he frowned. “Did you want something else?”

  “No, it’s fine. I’m glad you brought me here.”

  He reached across the table and grasped both her hands in his. “I’m here a lot because they’re open twenty four hours a day. When I can’t sleep, I come down here. I never brought anyone with me, though.”

  Flattered, she said, “Then I’m glad I’m the first.”

  She’d waited days, hoping to see him again. She was delighted he seemed pleased to spend time with her. Gracie wondered what he’d been doing, and with her new brashness, she asked. “I thought I’d have to wait until Monday evening to see you,” she said. “What’ve you been doing?”

  “Working, mostly,” Devlin said. “I thought about looking you up, but I didn’t want to be a pain in the ass.”

  “You wouldn’t be.”

  One of his eyebrows arched upward. “Yeah? Well, that’s another first.”

  She loathed his self-depreciation, something he did too often, but Gracie ignored it. “Tell me the truth,” she said. “Were you looking for me or something?”

  Faint color touched his cheeks and he nodded. “Yeah, well, I might’ve been checking up on you.”

  Hmm, sounds more like a guardian angel than a devil. Under his rough exterior, he’s a sweetheart. Gracie sighed, pleased. “Have you done it every night this week?”

  Dev wore the cutest expression, a hand-caught-in-the-cookie-jar look. “Here’s our food,” he said, changing the subject.

  Hunger trumped her curiosity. From long habit, Gracie bowed her head to ask a blessing and Devlin, already munching on a fry, said, “Oh, Jesus. I’m sorry. I didn’t think about praying first.”

  “It’s okay,” she assured him. “You don’t have to.”

  “I will, no problem.” He grasped her hands again and pulled up a meal blessing from somewhere. “God is great; God is good, let us thank Him for our food, amen.”

  “Amen,” Gracie said. His use of a children’s grace made her think he didn’t attend church, but she liked it just the same. He must’ve once, though. Her limited knowledge of his past irked her, and she craved to know more. She wanted to know his life story and she longed to know what he liked, what he didn’t. A hundred or more questions rose to her tongue, but she squelched them, unwilling to chance being too nosey. Instead, she dug into her food.

  She liked Steak ‘N Shake any time, but hunger added to her appreciation for the burger. The crispy little fries seemed perfect and Gracie wouldn’t tell him, but she could probably have eaten a second sandwich. Pinching pennies kept her skinny, and one of her worst habits had to be skipping meals or skimping on them. But it saved her hard earned money for books and other things required for school. Neither said much while they devoured the meal, but she watched Devlin.

  Dark smudges, faint but present, beneath his eyes indicated his lack of sleep and his eyes remained troubled. Gracie saw fortitude, too. Caught up in studying his face, she almost didn’t hear what Dev asked.

  “What?”

  “I asked if you work every damn day or what.”

  Gracie swallowed the last delicious bite of her burger and savored the fleeting taste on her tongue. “I asked to have Mondays off so I could go to the watercolor class,” she said. “Most of the time I get another day, somewhere. It depends on the schedule, but I usually work weekend days to get more hours.”

  “What about tomorrow?”

  Saturday. Memories of Saturdays as a day for fun and a little leisure surfaced. Growing up, she wasn’t allowed to watch most cartoons and spent mornings going to the supermarket with her mom. They always visited the branch library in town and headed home for the usual lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches. In the afternoon, sometimes Gracie helped her dad in the garden in the warmer season or with other chores. But after four, she enjoyed free time, a chance to read or sit outside on the porch swing or walk through the fields down to the pond. Since moving to Springfield to attend the university, Gracie worked almost every Saturday.

  “I work ten until eight tomorrow,” she told Devlin. “Why?”

  He shrugged. “I’m heading down to Eureka Springs just for kicks. I thought you might like it.”

  Images of the small Victorian city sprawling across the mountains in northwest Arkansas filled her mind. Gracie visited once, on a high school field trip to see the Christ of the Ozarks. She adored the charm of the place. Every narrow street featured vintage houses both large and small. The downtown district appeared to have dropped from the sky intact from another century. Eclectic shops lined the narrow streets selling everything from homemade fudge to tourist fripperies. Gracie’s dream was to return without the supervision of a field trip and crotchety teacher. Going with Devlin would be an awesome experience.

  “I wish I could go,” she said with a sigh. “I’ve been there only once, but I loved it.”

  “So, come with me.”

  “I have to work.”

  Some fire in his eyes burned hot enough to temper dark brown a shade lighter. “So call in sick and go anyway.”

  Temptation hung in the air so powerful Gracie could almost see it, touch it. Raised to do right, to work hard, and to never yield to wicked enticements, she’d have to refuse no matter how much she regretted it. I’m starting to understand why someone might call him Devil, she mused.

  As she hesitated, some of the light vanished from his eyes and a mocking smirk twitched his lips. He must have anticipated a flat refusal and despite his stoic mask, she thought it’d hurt his feelings. Some inner instinct told her he didn’t invite many people to get so close. More to avoid disappointing him than anything else, Gracie detoured caution and said, “All right, I will. I really want to go.”

  Devlin rewarded her with a smile, a large enough one to smooth some of his worry lines away. “Good. Let’s go. I’ll take you home and you can get some sleep. I’ll pick you up around eight or so, unless it’s too early.”

  “It’s great. I always get up early,” Gracie said. “I’ll call the store tonight and leave a message.”

  He tossed down a handful of dollar bills for a tip and paid the check. Gracie downed the last of her Coke and followed him out to the motorcycle. Without waiting for his prompt, she put on the helmet and as soon as Devlin was in place, she climbed behind him. Riding with him grew easier each time she did. Her fear lessened and she became more confident.

  In front of her apartment, Dev dismounted while she fiddled with the helmet. Gracie debated on whether or not she should ask him up but decided against it. They’d be going on their little trip tomorrow anyway.

  “Thanks again,” she said after Dev secured her helmet in the compartment.

  “For what?”

  “The ride, the meal, and for tomorrow.”

  Laughter burst from his throat, low and guttural. “I thought maybe you were thanking me in advance for this,” he said and caught her in his arms. Devlin kissed her, slo
w and unhurried, but with the smoky heat of good barbecue. His lips tasted of the meal they’d shared, but his embrace evoked pure masculinity. She inhaled his aroma, a rich blend of soap, musk cologne, and something she couldn’t define.

  Gracie enjoyed the way she felt with his arms locked around her, safe and somehow worthwhile. She appreciated his kisses, too. His boldness fired hers. If most guys took such liberties, she’d fuss, but Devlin made it seem right.

  This time, after the kiss, he didn’t release her immediately, but held her tight for another minute. Through the black T-shirt he wore, her hands caressed some of his scars, the ridges rough beneath her fingers. Her head rested against his chest where she felt the rise and fall of each breath. She heard the steady thump of his heart, too.

  When he released her, he cupped one hand to her cheek. “See you in the morning, babe.”

  “See if you can get some sleep, Devlin,” she said.

  He nodded. “I’ll try. Go on upstairs. I’ll wait until I see your lights before I go.”

  “Thanks.” She wanted to say something more, find words to express how much she cared for him, but Gracie couldn’t. She didn’t know how to begin to explain the attraction or the depth of emotion. She hadn’t known him a week yet so it seemed strange, even impossible, but no matter how she tried, she couldn’t deny it.

  As she mounted the stairs, she resisted the urge to turn around to see if he remained. Once inside her place, however, Gracie walked to the window to peer out before she turned on the lamp. Devlin stood, straight as a sentinel, beside his motorcycle, face tilted up toward her windows. If she waited too long, she didn’t doubt he’d charge up the stairs to see if everything was okay. She switched on the lights and waved. Moments later, she heard the bike’s engine and listened as it moved away into the night.

  She checked the clock. It was just a little after one and she wasn’t sleepy at all. Before she chickened out, she called Barnes and Noble, left a message for her supervisor. Lying didn’t come naturally to her and she stammered as she said, “Hi, it’s Gracie Alloway. I have to call in for tomorrow, well, today. Well, for Saturday. I can’t make it, but I’ll be there Sunday. Thanks.”

  Most people would’ve claimed a migraine or stomach upset, but she didn’t. If Clarissa didn’t like it, she’d try to explain. There shouldn’t be any problems unless the store manager didn’t like her absence, but unless Clarissa told him, he should never know.

  Until now, her priorities were simple. Finishing her degree and graduating ranked first. Maintaining her GPA for the scholarship almost tied with it. Her job at Barnes and Noble came in a close third. Behind those, her family – her elderly parents and her middle-aged sister trailed. Two brothers fit in between Gracie and her sister, too.

  Now, however, Devlin fit somewhere into the mix, but she wasn’t sure quite where. He wasn’t last, however, and the realization stunned her. If it came down to getting to know Devlin better or keeping her job, she’d choose him. Other jobs were around if she bothered to hunt for them, but she’d never known another man quite like Devlin. Gracie hadn’t ever felt such a powerful pull, a moon to tides kind of thing.

  With the task out of the way, Gracie eased off her shoes. She winced when she touched the sore spot on her heel, but reflected how much worse it’d been if Devlin didn’t offer a ride. After she patched it up with a few adhesive bandages, she went to bed, but it was a long time until she slept.

  Her mind burst with mental snapshots of Devlin, and she could still smell his essence. When she lifted her hands to her face, she inhaled his scent. After falling into a deep sleep, she dreamed. Devlin filled her subconscious, but some of her dreams bordered on nightmares. In one, she saw a copperhead stretched out across a dresser top, its pattern lighter than most, but when it tried to slither away, she caught it with a broomstick and held it in place. When it attempted to strike her, Devlin dispatched it without blinking an eye.

  Gracie woke, heart pounding with fear to calm as she realized the snake didn’t exist anywhere but in dream country. Even there, however, Devlin became her guardian angel and saved her. Comforted by the thought, she went back to sleep but rose early, eager to begin the day.

  After a makeshift shower with the hose apparatus she attached to the bathtub faucet, Gracie sorted through her meager wardrobe. With no clue what to wear on a trip to Eureka Springs and few choices, she rejected the skirts. She settled on her best black jeans with a button down blouse, white with tiny lilac blossoms scattered across it, and thick socks to protect her sore heel. Gracie laced up her best athletic shoes and wished she owned a pair of decent boots. She brushed her hair out smooth then secured it into a knot with a hair clip. Otherwise, between the helmet and the long ride, her hair would be a tangled mess by the time they reached Eureka Springs.

  If she had Devlin’s phone number, she could’ve invited him to breakfast, but since she didn’t. She had to wait. Just after seven, dressed and ready, Gracie sat down with a cup of coffee. Someone rapped at the door, firm but without force. She peered through the tiny peephole and saw Devlin.

  “Good morning,” she said as she opened the door to him. “I was going to call you and ask you to breakfast, but I didn’t have your phone number.”

  Devlin beamed at her and she noticed the sweet fragrance wafting from the bag in his hand. Gracie grinned back. “Oh,” she said, “You brought donuts.”

  “No,” he returned. “I brought St. George’s donuts. And I don’t have a phone, babe. Are you going to let me in?”

  His direct manner brought heat to her cheeks, but she nodded. “Sure. I’ve got coffee made.”

  “Good, I hoped so.”

  Devlin strode through the living room and into the kitchen. Without asking, he picked up a cup from the drainer – the one he’d used Monday night – and poured a cup from the percolator. He gestured to the bag of donuts. “Go ahead, get one.”

  “Thanks.” Gracie sat down at the dinette table for two and took a bite of warm perfection. “Oh, it’s good. Thanks, Devlin.”

  “You’re welcome,” he said. “I figured you were going to eat a half a piece of toast or something. It’s selfish of me. I just didn’t want you fainting on the way down.”

  Adding mind reader to her mental catalog of his talents, Gracie refused to admit she’d been about to make toast in her rummage sale toaster, the one toasting just one side of bread.

  “I wouldn’t faint,” she protested. “Why don’t you have a cell phone?”

  “I don’t have any phone at all.” Devlin helped himself to a second donut. “I don’t have anyone to call, babe.”

  Curiosity killed the cat and it might damn her, but she asked anyway, “Don’t you have any family?”

  Devlin shook his head. “No. My dad was a Marine too and died in Beirut in 1983 when I was two, and my mom died three years after I got home from Iraq. Cancer ate her up faster than a brushfire. My grandparents are all gone. I guess I still have cousins, a few aunts and uncles around somewhere, but except for one cousin, I haven’t seen them in years. If my job needs to call, they get ahold of my landlord. And before you ask, yeah, I’m from Springfield.”

  His mild tone took the sting out of what otherwise might have been harsh words, but she felt scolded anyway. Eyes down, she said, “I’m sorry for asking, Devlin. It’s not my business.”

  “Hey.” His voice shifted to somewhere near tender. He reached across the table and raised her face so he could look into her eyes. “No apology needed. I’m not mad you asked if that’s what you think.”

  “You’re not?”

  “Hell, no, I’m not. Christ, girl, I don’t offend easy. I gave you the information you wanted, plain and simple. Just another thing the Marines taught me.”

  Relief blasted her momentary discomfort into nothing. “I’ll try to keep it in mind.”

  “And if you want to call me, I’ll get a phone. You can help me pick one out ‘cause I don’t know jack shit about them.”

  Speechless, sh
e nodded. He confused and delighted her, and she didn’t begin to understand him. But she ached to know him more. Devlin wasn’t a cookie cutter man, but an original. His brusque manner hid a soft heart, she decided, and he told it straight. Her parents preferred politeness and throughout her education, from kindergarten until college, most people spoke with a certain amount of sugar coating. This man didn’t and she found his difference positive.

  Devlin noted her nod and added, “It’s a good idea with you trying to walk all over town late at night. If I get a phone and you ever need me, you can call me. What do you think?”

  Gracie cleared her throat. “I think it’s a plan.”

  What she liked most of all was the way he seemed to think he’d be part of her life in the future.

  Chapter Four

  Leaving Springfield on the back of a bike, arms tight around Dev’s waist, with sunshine pouring over her like molten gold, Gracie tasted a little happiness. They roared past the bookstore where she should be reporting for work in a few hours and she resisted the urge to thumb her nose. Today she’d be free like the customers who frequented the store, enjoying a little leisure time. She almost wished she could ride without the helmet and let her hair fly loose in the breeze, but it wouldn’t be safe and Gracie was aware.

  When Devlin hit the straight stretch out of town, he accelerated, and her stomach seemed to drop back to the city limits. Fear clutched her body and her heart sped up as the miles per hour increased. Flying must seem the same, she thought, as she tried to put away her terror to enjoy the ride. As much as she liked Devlin, she almost wished she hadn’t agreed to come. The ride down would take at least two hours, and she doubted her nerves could handle the strain for so long. If it wasn’t for the strong wind buffeting her face, she’d probably be crying and if she thought Dev could hear, she might’ve asked him to take her back home.

  Instead she clutched him harder, her fingers in a taut death grip on his denim jacket. Gracie didn’t think he noticed her extreme fear, but after he turned onto 86, Dev pulled into a convenience store. By then her knees trembled and when he pulled off his helmet to talk to her, he wore a frown.